1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the invention relate generally to integrated circuits, packages for integrated circuits, magnetic inductors, and magnetic inductors for integrated circuit packages.
2. Background Information
In general, magnetic inductors are components of electrical circuits that are able to store energy in a magnetic field. Magnetic fields are created, for example, by electric current passing through one or more wires. Inductor structures can form parts of electronic circuits for, for example, voltage converters, electromagnetic interference (EMI) noise reduction, and other applications such as RF circuits.
Integrated circuits (ICs) formed on semiconductor substrates such as silicon wafers (also known as integrated circuit chips, microchips, chips, or dies) form the basis for almost all electronic devices. After manufacture, the IC chip is typically packaged in a manner that takes into account the operating environment provided by the device in which it will reside. A chip may be packaged, for example, in an individual package, incorporated into a hybrid circuit (in multichip modules (MCMs)), or mounted directly on a board, a printed circuit board, or a chip-on-board (COB). In general, the package for the IC chip protects the chip from damage and supplies electronic connections that connect the IC chip to power supplies and other electronic components (performing, for example, input/output functions) that make up the device in which the IC chip resides.